This was the most unique late afternoon PM break on the last day of an event I attended.  We entered a dimly lit “banquet” room set with two rows of chairs facing one another with a large aisle in between.  In front of each chair was a soaking tub filled with warm silky water with lavender essential oil.  The chairs were spaced just far apart enough to allow one to easily place shoes and socks underneath your seat.

There was spa music playing quietly in the background and the room glowed with candles.  The moderator spoke in a hushed voice as we entered a sanctuary of calm and bliss.  Can you imagine our surprise when we were expecting more food and loud noise as we all tried to talk a little louder to be heard in the crowded break?  Once seated the banquet staff offered you a chocolate dipped strawberry on a cocktail sized napkin, and then, in a very soft voice we were told to close our eyes and the speaker had us focus on our five senses in relation to all we had learned in the past few days.  In our mind he walked us through the sessions and how each one brought up sounds we heard, scents we smelled, demonstrations we witnessed, etc., and how each one related to the five senses.  With your eyes closed you could experience the past few days in a way we had never done before creating unforgettable memories of the speakers and the subjects they spoke about.

After five minutes of silence we opened our eyes and received a delicious fruit smoothie followed by a thick, warm towel to dry our feet as we put our socks and shoes back on and were lead back to the final session.  This inexpensive break option left a lasting impression on me in a brilliant and unique way.  Surprise your guests who have worked hard all week with this special & cost-effective treat.  Your guests have come to expect popcorn and cookies, or cupcakes and trail mix at the afternoon break when everyone is mentally drained and ready for the day to end.  Save your dynamic speaker for the last session and after a refreshing PM break like this you will have the full attention of your attendees who will talk about and tell others what you did for them.

Making people feel special costs next to nothing yet goes miles in reaffirming their value to your organization.  Ask your conference services manager what others are doing to switch it up and create more lasting impressions of goodwill when you to plan your company’s next PM break during meetings.